Andrew Giddings

It would be easy to waffle on about MIDI, samples and octave mapping, but I’ll resist the temptation. Briefly though, for anyone who may be interested in model numbers and mixer patches, here’s a summary of my current stage setup:

Keyboards;

Two Roland D70 Linear Algorithm Synthesizers, (old but functional)

Sound Modules;

A Roland S760 32meg sampler with SCSI HD to access my vast sample library

A Hammond XM-1 Drawbar module

A Dynacord CLS222 Leslie simulator

Mixer;

A Mackie Designs CR1604 16 channel mixer, (yes, all 16 channels are used up!) sending 4 auxiliary channels to front of house.

Shure Bros. PMS600 in-ear monitor system and belt pack.

Not a great deal of equipment considering the job it has to do, but wiring it all together is another story……..

Now although I also have hi-tech and space-age stands (by Ultimate Support Systems inc.) to precariously balance my ageing and almost collectable D70 keyboards upon, the next item has to be the most sophisticated………..

The mighty medium-density fiberboard Hammond Replica Mk1.

Based on an idea of Ian’s, designed and built by my father-in-law (almost) Terry Fawcett, this wonderful piece of furniture houses two Roland D70 keyboards. The look of the traditional black electronic synthesizer was understandably out of place on the Tull stage, and so Terry and I set about gathering information on the overall appearance of a real Hammond organ. The design process was often a difficult one, as the finished article had to accommodate two modern and longer than normal keyboards, unlike the original instrument that had fewer octaves on each of it’s two ‘manuals’.

The first outing that my shiny new writing bureau made was in the summer of ’96… I think, anyway, it was the U.S. tour we did with Emerson, Lake and Palmer. After we had finished our first soundcheck of the tour, none other than Keith Emerson approached me and asked, “Which model Hammond is it that you’re playing?”

Of course, I laughed politely and waited for the punch-line…….

…….there wasn’t one. He had caught a glimpse of my ‘musical casket’ on the stage and assumed it was a genuine Hammond organ.

Well, if you’re gonna fool anyone, it might as well be the Hammond king himself!